The Way of Family: Part Three in the Family Saga
by meathead
Summary: Chapter Two: Michelangelo's marital problems are revealed after confiding in Leonardo, who in turn is dealing with his unruly middle child. Rating bumped up to M for strong language and mild adult situations in later chapters.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Splinter, and other related characters are owned by Mirage Studios. All other characters are of my own creation.

Prologue

_ Foreword_

_Family. All of us have one, whether it be large or small, but do any us actually take the time to think about how important these complex social structures really are? These people, who are always there for you, who stand by you no matter what you've done, who shape you with unbending love and support. It's sad that many of us don't really think about how great these people really are until one of them is gone, then it's too late to give them recognition, even a simple 'thank you'._

_Now, dear readers, you may be wondering why I'm babbling on about this subject, and I will give you the reason for it. As many of you know, I've made my career out of the many tales and epics that my family has been through, and if you are a first time reader, I welcome you, but I think you may be a few years too late. This, dear readers, is my time I will take you into the lives of my family, not because I've run out of subject matter, but simply because I feel there is nothing more to say. I started at the humble beginnings, waded knee-deep through dramatic floods of revenge, violence, and undying love, all of which has been building up to this climatic ending, that for all of us came as a horrific shock, and to this day, we all still wish we could have done something different._

_I start this book eighteen years from the last, only for the simple fact that there was not much that happened during those eighteen years. But I will be kind enough to give a short summary:_

_At the ending of the last story, my Uncle Leo and Aunt Linda were expecting their first child, my parents were engaged, my Uncle Raph was maturing as a father, and Uncle Mike and Aunt Mandy had begun their courtship._

_Skip ahead about five years, and Andrea, my oldest cousin, is now joined by six more children: Gavin, Shawn, and Constance from Leo and Linda, me and my twin sister Aurora, and the youngest one from Mike and Mandy, Jennifer, and you will meet them all very soon._

_Uncle Mike was very successful in his comic book, and together with his brothers, they founded Half-Shell Productions. Making the top five in the FORBES 500 list every year, this company went on to produce three more lines of comics, a hit cartoon show, top-grossing movies, and all of the merchandise that was created would overflow the Roman Coliseum! Of, course, dear readers, unless you have been living in a cave for the past thirty years, this comes as no surprise to you. Everyone knows the legacy of my family._

_The story takes place in the summer of 2015. I was fifteen at the time, and we were all carrying on in our lives like we had done years before. But, as my mother put it, Fate stepped in and decided to give us a hard-hitting blow, tearing us apart one by one, and we were never the same after the events of that summer. It changed us all, some for the better, some for the worse. _

_Okay, dear reader, I see you are becoming impatient with my mindless chatter ( something I took after my father, no doubt), and you are eager to get on with the story, just as I am eager to break into my bottle of wine. So, please, enjoy, and I will be seeing you soon._

_ Adam Leios_

_ Nov. 20, 2046_

_Athens, Greece_


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

"Watch this! Nothing but net!"

The basketball ripped through the blue sky and into the torn, white fabric, causing it to make a whooshing sound, and Shawn tossed his hands into the air.

"Oh yeah! The score is now 118 to 106, and the former captain of the high school basketball team is eating my dust!"

A few feet away, his older brother Gavin wiped at the sweat that collected at the base of his short black hair with the bottom of his already saturated white, sleeveless T-shirt, and he shook his head.

"Why do you keep saying things like that?" He asked as Shawn threw the ball back to him. " I had a good reason for quitting basketball."

Shawn laughed, the sun catching the barbell that sat in the middle of his tongue.

" Like what? You didn't have time to make football practice? Or was it because you would miss the DARE meetings, or the SADD fund-raisers? No time for Prom either, I bet!"

Gavin bounced the ball against the asphalt court, shooting his younger brother a dirty look as another late spring breeze passed by. "At least I participate in school activities."

Shawn crossed his arms over his sweat soaked bare chest, relishing the fact that he had pushed Gavin's buttons. "Why the hell would I even want to? I hate school for one thing, and everything about it. Clubs, dances, sports, it's all superficial shit for superficial preps like you!"

Gavin's green eyes narrowed as he dribbled the ball around Shawn, hoping to break through his brother's defense and even the score. But Shawn wasn't finished making his smart remarks, and his last one pushed Gavin over the edge.

" You only do all of that shit cause Dad wanted you too! You're such a suck-up!"

Gavin slammed the ball hard into the pavement, and it bounced off the court and into the grass. " Shut your mouth, Shawn! Dad had nothing to do with it!" He then turned his back, trying to avoid the obvious satisfaction that sat on Shawn's face. He always hated the way his brother tried to turn everything into a competition, and Gavin couldn't help but make things worse as his temper flared.

"Is that why Dad favors me more?" Gavin said over his shoulder in a sarcastic tone. "I guess since I listen to him and Mom, they like me better. Or it could be that I don't talk back, or yell at them. Oh, and I didn't get expelled twice this past school year. It could be that too!"

Shawn's mouth dropped. "You freakin' asshole!" He lunged at his brother, shoving him down to the asphalt. He pushed his right knee into Gavin's back as he raised his fist into the air. Gavin inhaled quickly then rolled over, knocking Shawn off of him with his elbow. They both regained their footing and circled around, waiting for the other one to pounce first.

" You are such a hothead, Shawn." Gavin said with a smug smile. " It's sad really."

"At least I ain't a wussy little cry baby like you!" Shawn's green eyes, which were a shade darker than his brothers', narrowed into small slits, and he screamed out as he leaped. Gavin blocked Shawn's punches at first, but then found himself on the ground again after missing the kick his brother placed into his rib cage.

As Gavin continued to fight off his attacking brother, the two failed to hear the sounds of an approaching vehicle, but when the door slammed shut and a shadow fell over them, both boys turned their attention away from the fight and into the anger that filled the eyes of their father.

" I swear I can't leave you two alone for a second!" Leonardo uncrossed his arms and pulled both of his sons to their feet.

Shawn glared in his brother's direction as he pulled his shoulder length, dark-brown hair out of the black hair band and replaced the loose strands. Gavin also adjusted his appearance, noticing that he had a small scratch above his left eyebrow, and he sneered at Shawn as he wiped the drops of blood away.

"I am getting so sick and tired of this!" Leonardo yelled as he took a few steps away from the boys, his green face darkening as his blood pressure rose. "What is it going to take to stop this foolish behavior?"

Shawn scoffed. " Tell him to quit being such a show off!"

Leonardo leaned up into Shawn's face and narrowed his eyes. " I wasn't asking for your opinion, young man. I suggest you keep your mouth closed until I'm done!"

Even though Shawn was 5'10, much taller that his father was, he still shrank down from the anger in the turtle's voice. He wanted to say more, but knew better than to push his luck.

"I don't have the time right now to lay out punishments." Leonardo walked over to where the basketball sat in the grass and picked it up. " You two need to get home and get ready. We're already running late."

The boys groaned as they jumped into the blue Caravan, Gavin taking the front seat as Shawn jumped into the back.

"Do we have to go to Andy's graduation?" Shawn grumbled. " Those things are so boring!"

"Well, you may never have one, so you'll have to see what it's like." Gavin joked.

Leonardo shot Gavin a look of disappointment as he buckled his seatbelt and started the van. "Gavin, that was completely uncalled for."

"Sorry, sir." Gavin lowered his eyes down to the black floor mat under his shoes. " I didn't mean it."

"Yes, you did, you fuckin' ass-" Shawn growled from the back seat.

"Shawn!" Leonardo looked into the mirror, feeling his temper rising again. " What did I tell you about using that language?"

"Sorry, sir," Shawn replied in a mocking tone. " I didn't mean it!"

Leonardo sighed heavily as he pulled the van out of the park and down the busy street, rolling his eyes skyward for a second.

" What did I do to deserve this?"

* * *

Raphael stood outside of the bathroom, waiting for the roaring sounds of the hair dryer to stop. The two golden retrievers that sat below him also waited, their reddish-blonde tails wagging impatiently. Raphael looked down at them and smiled.

" I know. That kid takes too long." He laughed as the dogs whimpered back. " It's a girl thing. You two should be used ta it by now."

The hair dryer shut off, and Raphael turned back to the door. He raised his fist and knocked softly.

" Andrea?"

The door flung open, and Raphael couldn't help but laugh at the disheveled eighteen year old in front of him. Andrea held the purple hair dryer in one hand, the matching hair brush in the other, her auburn hair pulled between the two. Only half of her makeup was on, the mascara wand sticking out from her white teeth. The right shoulder strap of her white satin camisole fell down her bronzed shoulder, and the knee-length maroon skirt she was wearing was pulled up one side, exposing the black garter that held up her panty hose.

"What?" Andrea asked, her voice laced with annoyance.

Raphael crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the door frame. " I was seein' if you were ready."

"No, Dad. I wasn't ready five minutes ago, and I'm still not." Andrea placed the dryer down onto the edge of the sink and went back to work on her makeup. " I hate this crap! Why can't I just wear a T-shirt and a pair of jeans? I feel _so _out of place!"

Raphael smiled again. " Naw, you look good. It is weird seein' ya dressed up like that though."

Andrea glanced up and gave her father a fake smile. " Thanks, Daddy."

" I just can't believe it," Raphael continued with a sigh. " My little girl's all grown up now."

" Daddy, please!" Andrea rolled her eyes. " Don't get sentimental on me again! I'll start crying and ruin my shitty makeup job!"

Raphael shook his head as he laughed. " Sorry, honey. I can't help it though! You're eighteen, you're graduatin' high school today, then after we come back from the mountains, you're leavin' me to go to college."

" Don't forget that I'm getting married at the end of this year too." Andrea giggled as she watched her father's face fall even more.

" Don't remind me." Raphael shifted his weight around. " I don't know what I'm gonna do. I'll have this apartment all ta myself. I'm gonna be really lonely."

Andrea replaced her makeup back into the cabinet above the sink and went back to taming her thick mane of hair. " You won't be completely alone. You still have Eminem and Dre to keep you company."

Raphael looked back down to the two retrievers that were still sitting at his feet, remembering the day he had brought the two dogs home for Andrea when she was nine, and the young girl had insisted on naming the two after her favorite rap artists.

"They're gonna miss you just as much as I am, ya know." Raphael could feel a few tears starting to well up in his eyes. Andrea noticed the emotions in her father's face, and she couldn't stop herself from wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly.

"It'll be okay, Daddy." Andrea then pulled back and placed a kiss on Raphael's cheek.

"I'm really proud of you." Raphael gushed as he wiped his eyes. " I know your mother would be too."

Andrea sighed, subconsciously fingering the ruby and emerald pendent that hung from her neck. She had heard so much about the mutant fox that her father had once loved, and even though her mother had died while giving birth to her, Andrea couldn't help but feel a strong connection to her. Tears also began to build up in Andrea's green eyes, which were as bright as the emerald that hung close to her heart, and she quickly blinked them away as she moved back to the mirror. Raphael continued to watch as Andrea pulled the sides of her hair up into a silver barrette, and she secured it on the top of her head.

"You know, Dad," Andrea pulled the brush through her auburn hair again. " Maybe this would be a good time to start dating."

Raphael scoffed at the idea. " I don't think so!"

Andrea let her arms drop. " Come on, Daddy! You haven't been with anyone since Mom died!"

"And I don't plan on it either." Raphael turned his position around and leaned against the bathroom door with his shell. " I already told ya, Andy. I had enough of that shit when I was younger. And besides, between helpin' your uncle Leo at his dojo and runnin' the company with your uncle Mike, I ain't got time ta do anythin'!"

"Excuses, excuses," Andrea laughed. " Really, Daddy. I think it would be good for you. You probably wouldn't feel so lonely if you found someone."

Raphael placed his face into the palm of his right hand and sighed, his thick New York accent softening as he spoke. " Look, sweetheart, I know you're lookin' out for me, but trust me. I need a girlfriend like I need a hole in my head!"

"Okay, Dad, you made your point." Andrea placed her hands on her father's muscular shoulder and pushed him out of the doorframe. " Now, if you don't mind, I need to finish getting ready, so, out, out!"

Raphael smiled, not realizing how strong his daughter really was until he found himself standing in the middle of the narrow hallway. The door shut, and Raphael called the dogs to follow him back into the small apartment living room.

* * *

A few hours later, Raphael sat in a metal folding chair, his arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the hundreds of people that had gathered inside the Civic Center in Brooklyn. On Raphael's left side sat Jason, a tall, attractive blonde man with a strong chin, dressed in his navy Air Force uniform. His future son-in-law was happily laying out the details of his trip to South America, where he had just returned from only a few days ago. On Raphael's right side sat his brother Leonardo and his wife Linda, who were talking to Jason more than Raphael was. Gavin sat next to his mother, and his sister Constance, the youngest of the three Okasana children, sat next to him. Their missing sibling Shawn was seated behind them next to his cousin Adam. The two were dressed similar in long sleeve black shirts and baggy jeans, except Shawn wore a vintage Tool shirt over the long sleeved one.

" This sucks," Shawn slid down farther into the metal chair. "I had better things to do than this."

Adam laughed, the bright lights above them reflecting off of his multiple eyebrow piercings. "Like what? What could be more fun than sitting in a crowded auditorium full of sweaty people on a Saturday morning?"

Shawn also laughed, loving the sarcastic tone in his cousins' voice. " Man, I'm glad your back home. I was going crazy not having you around!"

Adam shrugged, almost embarrassed by Shawn sentiment. " I'm glad to be back too." He looked around Shawn to his parents, who were also occupied in conversation with Andrea's fiancé. " I love my parents to death but if I had to spend another day going over calculus problems with my dad or recording plate artifacts for my mom, I would have gone insane myself!"

On Adams' right side, his twin sister Aurora leaned over and gave her brother a cold stare, her waist length brown hair falling over her tiny shoulders.

" Please, Adam. You know you enjoyed all of that just as much as they did."

Adam returned his sister's glare, their light green eyes silently fighting each other. Shawn watched as the two stared, knowing they were keeping their harsh words inside of their minds so their parents wouldn't hear, but it didn't stop Angie from turning toward them.

" You two!" Angie snapped her fingers, her children unlocking their gaze. " I heard all of that!"

Donatello stopped talking and looked blankly at his kids. " Heard what? I didn't hear anything."

Angie shook her head as a smile formed on her lips. She always thought it was funny how her psychic connection with her kids kept her a step ahead of her husband. " Nothing, dear. Nothing at all."

Leonardo turned around, looking toward the double doors as more people spilled in.

"Where in the world is Mikey?" He asked as he turned back to Raphael. " You told him ten o'clock, right?"

"Yeah, I did." Raphael grumbled as he looked down at his watch.

"You know how Mikey is, Leo," Donatello leaned forward. "Being fashionably late is his trademark."

Then, as if he heard them, their younger brother Michelangelo entered through the double doors, his wife Mandy and their daughter Jennifer in tow. They scanned the crowd for a second before spotting the rest of their extended family, and they pushed their way through the crowd.

"Good morning everyone!" Michelangelo chirped in his usual cheerful tone. He hugged Constance and Aurora, then slapped hands with all of his nephews before taking a seat on the other side of Donatello. Then everyone watched as Mandy moved up to the next row, saving the space next to Constance for her daughter, and she shot Michelangelo a dirty look as she sat down.

Donatello leaned closer to Michelangelo, offering his brother a sympathetic look. "Are you guys arguing _again_?"

Michelangelo crossed his arms over his pale orange polo shirt. " I really don't wanna talk about it right now, Donnie."

Raphael then turned around and spoke without lowering his voice. " Why don't ya just divorce her ass and get it over with?"

"Raph!" Leonardo shouted softly, holding back the urge to smack his brothers' shoulder.

"Why don't _you _just turn around and mind your own goddamn business?" Michelangelo replied in a cold tone, swirling his finger around in Raphael's face.

"Whatever." Raphael listened to Michelangelo's body language and faced forward.

Further down, Jennifer walked down the aisle to the metal chairs, and she hugged Constance before sitting down next to her mother. She felt a sudden tap on her shoulder, and she let out an annoyed breath of air before she turned around.

" What? I don't get a hug?" Shawn said as he gave Jennifer a wide, white smile. "How about a kiss instead?"

Jennifer's lips curled up in disgust. " Ew! You are so nasty!"

"Come on. I promise you'll like it!" Shawn laughed as he winked at the young blonde.

"You are such a pig!" Jennifer shrieked in a high-pitched voice then turned back to the front sharply, and Shawn fell into fits of laughter.

" You are _so_ sick, man," Adam said, feeling slightly embarrassed by Shawn's actions.

" Why do you have to do that? She's our cousin!"

"She's likes the attention." Shawn then saw Jennifer turn back around, and he placed his lips together and made smooching noises at her. Jennifer's jaw dropped, her cheeks blushing slightly as she turned back around.

" See? I told ya!" Shawn laughed again, then stopped as he felt Leonardo's stare.

"Shawn, do you want to back to the van?"

"Yes!" Shawn replied, knowing that his father was not pleased by his wise mouth.

Leonardo turned back around, not wanting to escalate his sons' attitude. Raphael then heard his oldest brother sigh, and he couldn't help but smile.

"I think I came back ta haunt ya." Raphael joked, causing Leonardo to sudden smiled along with him. Before he could say more, Andrea appeared, dressed in her white gradation gown and cap with a black and red tassel hanging down the right side of her face.

"Jason!" She cried out as the twenty-year-old man stood up, and Andrea didn't hesitate to jump into his arms and plant several kisses on his face. " I thought you said you weren't coming in until next week!"

"Surprise." Jason's baritone voice whispered into her ear before kissing her pink lips.

Andrea let go of her fiancé, then noticed that her uncle Donatello and aunt Angie were also back.

" Yea, you guys came back too!" Andrea leaned over and offered hugs to them. Shawn and Adam jumped out of their chairs and stood next to Andrea and Jason.

" How are you doin', cous?" Andrea asked as she slammed her balled up fist into Shawn's shoulder.

" Ow! What the hell?" Shawn shouted as he rubbed out the sting. " Man, I just love how we show affection in this family!"

"Adam!" Andrea grabbed the fifteen-year-old into her arms and squeezed. " How was Greece?"

"Boring." Adam stepped back, running his hand over his short, spiked brown hair. " I'm tired of traveling so much. I'm ready for our vacation."

"Vacation?" Shawn wrinkled his nose. " Your whole life is a vacation!"

Adam sighed. "Dude, just because I'm home schooled does not mean that I get to goof around. I do just as much school work as you do," Adam then remembered that he was talking to the king of school skippers. " Well, maybe _more _than you do."

"Ha, ha. You are _sooooo_ funny." Shawn replied dryly. Gavin then appeared behind them and he waved at Andrea.

" Hey, Andy."

Andrea slammed her hand into Gavin's back, knocking the wind out of him. " Hey Gav! How's it feel to be a senior now?"

"I don't think it's sunk in yet." Gavin regained himself and smoothed out his navy polo.

"Well, it will," Leonardo joined in the conversation as he leaned his left arm over the back of the chair. " He's been accepted to five different colleges on a football scholarship."

"Wow! That's great!" Andrea pushed Gavin's shoulder, and the seventeen-year-old teetered a little, feeling a flush in cheeks.

" Way to go, Gavin!" Michelangelo high-fived his oldest nephew, and the rest of the family joined in on their congratulations. Shawn glared at his brother, feeling jealously creep over him again, and he moved back to his seat without a word. Linda, the only one who ever noticed when Shawn was upset, turned around and patted his left leg.

" Come on, Shawn. Don't act like that. You should be happy for your brother."

Shawn's green eyes looked up at Gavin, then at his father, then back to Linda. "Dad hates me, doesn't he?"

Linda sighed, not wanting to have this familiar talk with her middle child. " Shawn, your father does not hate you. He wants you to excel like your siblings have."

"Yeah, but only in the things _he_ wants me to excel in!" Shawn tightened his arms across his chest. "I'm sorry, but I'm not a kiss ass like Gavin or a genius like Connie."

Linda moved back to Adam's seat next to her son and pulled his hands into her own. " And we don't expect you to be, honey."

"Dad does!" Shawn could feel his emotions getting the better of him and he couldn't stop a few tears from falling. " He thinks my guitar lessons are a waste of time!"

Linda pulled Shawn closer to her and she rubbed his back. "I know your father can be overbearing at times-"

" _At times_?" Shawn repeated, stressing his words.

"Okay, _all_ of the time," Linda laughed. " But your father has always set high standards for himself, and he sometimes forgets that not everyone is like him."

"Is that why Dad thinks he's so freakin' perfect?" Shawn pulled back and wiped his face with his shirt sleeve.

" He is far from perfect, Shawn, believe me!" Linda laughed again, then rubbed Shawn's shoulder. "Let's talk about this later. Just don't let it bother you, okay?"

Shawn smiled through her tears stained face, then, in one of the rare occasions when Linda receives affection from her son, Shawn leaned over and hugged his mother, and she kissed him softly on the forehead. Linda then moved back to the front row, reclaiming her seat next to Leonardo, and Shawn could hear his father's voice.

"What's his problem now?"

Shawn tried with all of his might to push his temper back down, and as Adam returned to his vacated seat, he too could feel the heat radiating from his cousin.

"Uh, Shawn? Are you okay?" Adam waved his hand in front of Shawn's evil stare.

"What?" Shawn snapped, then realized who he was talking to. " Oh, sorry, man."

Adam patted Shawn's shoulder, then sat back as the school superintendent stepped up to the microphone.

"And now I would like to introduce to you, the class of 2015's valedictorian, Miss Andrea Renee Rehema!"

Raphael was the first to stand up, screaming and whistling loudly as his daughter took to the stage. Andrea held her hands up and waved to all of her fellow class mates, blowing kisses to the crowd of graduates here and there. After the roaring calmed down, and a few yells were tossed around, Andrea began the speech she had been preparing for since the beginning of her last school year, every once in awhile glancing up at the mutant turtle who was smiling proudly back at her.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

A few hours later after the shower of red and white gradation caps had fallen, the Turtles had gathered their families together at Michelangelo's homestead in Queens. The kids enjoyed themselves in the Olympic sized swimming pool, while Linda, Angie and Mandy sat in the eastern corner of the patio, engaging in conversation while soaking up the bright rays of sun. The Turtles placed themselves far away from the pool under the shade of a large green and white table top umbrella, and were also in the mist of talking.

"So, where is Andrea going again?" Leonardo asked his brother Raphael as he replaced his iced tea to its coaster on the glass table.

" Some photography school in Vermont. I don't remember the name of it." Raphael sighed as he leaned back into the chair, feeling the white cushion of the chair mold around his shell. "She's leavin' after we get back from the mountains."

Leonardo could see the heartache in Raphael's eyes and he patted his brother's left hand.

"It'll be okay Raph."

"Yeah," Donatello offered Raphael a smile. " That's the thing about having kids. They can't stay younger forever."

Raphael snorted. " Yeah, I know." His eyes looked around Donatello to his daughter, who held Shawn on her shoulders as he battled Adam in a game of chicken. "Time went by too damn fast."

Donatello then began to laugh, and his brothers gave him odd looks. " Sorry, but it still seems a bit strange for us to be sitting around talking about kids, don't you think?"

Leonardo smiled and let out a small chuckle. " Yes, it does. Who would have thought when we were younger and battling the Shredder that we would end up with families?"

"Well, here we are, twenty-six years later," Donatello added as he raised his glass in a mock toast. "In our early forties and getting grumpier and older by the second!"

"Old? Speak for yerself, Donnie," Raphael said with a smirk on his face. "I feel better now than I did when I was younger."

"That's because you _finally_ took my advice and started taking better care of yourself."

Raphael turned back to Leonardo and stuck out his tongue as he mocked his oldest brothers' words, which only made Leonardo laugh harder.

"Mikey?" Donatello waved his hand in front of Michelangelo's face and the youngest turtle snapped out of his daydream state.

" Huh? What?" Michelangelo moved his brown eyes up from the smooth, ice blue glass surface of the table and stared at Donatello.

"Are you going to talk to us now or are we still under the 'mind our own godamn business' policy?" He asked, trying to get a laugh out of Michelangelo as he placed his hand on his brothers' shoulder.

Michelangelo's response was a shoulder shrug as he slammed his finger into the puddle of condensation that had gathered under his untouched glass of tea.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about what I said earlier, Mikey." Raphael mumbled. "I didn't mean it."

"It's okay," Michelangelo shrugged again. " Maybe you were right."

Leonardo's eyes grew. " You're not really considering getting a divorce, are you?"

Michelangelo rose his eyes past Leonardo and Raphael to the back end of the patio and watched as Mandy spread tanning lotion on her thin legs, then adjusted the top of the purple bikini she was wearing. He knew she could feel his eyes on her, and Mandy was doing everything in the world to ignore him.

"Are you guys fightin' about money again?" Raphael butted in, causing Michelangelo to change his line of sight.

Michelangelo let out a small laugh before he spoke. "What else is new, right?" He shifted his position in the chair and sunk down into his cushion, obviously uncomfortable with the subject his brothers had brought up.

"Mikey, why don't ya just put your foot down and tell that bitch to stop spendin' so much?" Raphael growled.

"Dude, don't call her that," Michelangelo sighed at his brother's choice of words.

"Raph's got a point, Mike," Donatello jumped to Raphael's defense.

"Look, it's not only about how much money she blows, okay?" Michelangelo snapped back at his brothers, then stood up and grabbed his glass. "There's just . . . oh, forget it! I just don't wanna talk about it!"

Michelangelo walked in a fast pace across the green lawn and up the back steps of the patio. He flung open the sliding glass door, then slammed it shut behind him, rattling the other three doors connected to it.

"I can't believe how much Mikey has changed," Donatello commented. "He used to be so . . . happy."

"Yeah," Raphael shook his head. " See what women do ta ya?"

Leonardo wrinkled his forehead and threw Raphael a dirty look as he rose from the table.

"I'm going to go talk to him."

"Good luck with that!" Raphael called out sarcastically as Leonardo strode across the grass and into the three story off-white house. His bare feet made no sound as he moved through the living room and into the kitchen, finally finding his brother sitting at the end of the black dining room table.

"I said I didn't want to talk, Leo," Michelangelo said without raising his head from its resting place on his folded arms.

Leonardo smiled as he moved into the chair next to Michelangelo. "How did you know it was me?"

This time, Michelangelo lifted his head. "Who else beside you ever bothered trying?"

Leonardo's smile turned into laughter, but it then faded as he leaned over the table. " All right, Mikey. It's just me and you now. Tell me what's going on."

Michelangelo moved his arms, placing his elbows on the table and his face into his palms, and Leonardo couldn't help but laugh again, noticing the lines of age starting to appear, but how he still looked like the young teenage mutant turtle he once was.

"Leo," Michelangelo moaned. " I really don't. . ." His eyes met Leonardo's no-nonsense stare and he let down the wall he was hiding behind.

"Okay, okay," Michelangelo sighed. " It's not only the money thing we've been fighting about. Mandy's pissed at me for working too much."

"That's all?" Leonardo made a face.

Michelangelo rolled his eyes. " No, that's not all. She said that I spend too much time at work making other people happy and not her."

"That sounds kind of selfish," Leonardo said cautiously. " And by other people she meant . . . "

"Our fans!" Michelangelo exclaimed. " She's jealous of _our_ fans! She thinks I care more about them then I do about her and Jenny."

"That's ridiculous, Mikey," Leonardo crossed his arms over his gray shirt. " Doesn't she know that you _have_ to work for the fans to make a profit so she can live in this over-the-top fancy house?"

Michelangelo ignored Leonardo's comment and continued. "There's more to it, Leo."

Leonardo then saw a hint of tears beginning to build in Michelangelo's eyes.

"I think she... has. . .someone else."

Leonardo's eyes grew as he let his arms drop. "What?"

"I don't know for sure if it's true, and I don't have proof, but-"

Leonardo then grabbed Michelangelo's hand and jerked it down, and the turtle stopped talking.

"You think Mandy is _cheating_ on you?" Leonardo shook his head in disbelief. " Come on Mikey, do you really think she would have the heart to do that?"

Michelangelo lowered his face back down to the table, squeezing his eyes together to stop his tears from falling any farther.

"I don't know, Leo. I feel like I don't know her anymore." Michelangelo kept his head down as he continued to talk, his tears breaking through his barrier. "I remember when we first got together, I couldn't believe how happy I was just being with her. You know, she used to tell me that we were meant to be together."

Leonardo offered Michelangelo a smile as his brother looked up. " Maybe you were."

"But then after we got the company going, and she quit the music biz, it just seemed like things went downhill from there. And it only got worse after we got married and had Jenny."

"I remember Mandy calling Linda at three in the morning crying her eyes out because you weren't home and Jennifer was screaming her head off." Leonardo lowered his eyes to the table and concentrated on a small scratch that ran across the shiny black surface. "Have you talked to Mandy about this?"

Michelangelo sighed as his heart sunk closer to the white tiled floor under his feet. "I've tried. We can't even carry on a conversation anymore, Leo. We always end up yelling, and it kills me cause I know Jenny can hear us."

Leonardo looked deeper into his brothers' eyes, taking in all of the pain and unhappiness that sat behind the brown irises. "Well maybe this trip upstate will give you two some time to rekindled things."

"I don't know if I should go, Leo," Michelangelo leaned back into his chair, suddenly on the brink of an anxiety attack. "There's a lot to do! I've got a meeting with Korea next week, then the promotional tour, and the Toy Fair is coming up soon -,"

"Mikey," Leonardo held up his open palms, quickly silencing the younger turtle. " You're leaving the office behind for three months. Everything has been taken care of. You have more important things to deal with."

"Leonardo!"

The turtle turned his body around and faced the in the direction of the backyard. "I'm in the dining room, Linda!"

Seconds later, Linda flew in, her shoulder length black hair whipping around her face as she moved. " You need to get outside right now. Your sons are tearing each other apart!"

The calm demeanor Leonardo had used on Michelangelo changed in an instant and he bolted out of his seat. "I... am getting so . . . SICK of those two!"

Linda followed behind her husband as he stomped back through the house, and she could feel the anger radiating from his green skin.

"Leonardo, wait!" Linda then jumped in front of him as he reached for the sliding door handle and pushed on his chest. " You need to calm down. You can't go out there and scream at them. It will only make it worse."

Leonardo narrowed his eyes and exhaled loudly. "What else am I supposed to do, Linda? They _obviously_ don't listen to a word I say!" He then peered around Linda and through the glass door, watching impatiently as Raphael held Shawn back, already beating Leonardo to the joy of yelling at his son. Leonardo then turned his attention to Gavin, who was nursing a bloody nose with the help of his aunt Angie, and he knew at once who was at fault.

"Why does Shawn always have to start things?" Leonardo's anger induced tone and wrong choice of words went right through Linda, and she immediately felt her own bad temper flare up.

"For your information, _honey_, Shawn does not always 'start things', as you put it." Her brown eyes burned into Leonardo as they narrowed. " And Gavin doesn't exactly help things, either. You know for a fact that he antagonizes his brother and makes it worse!"

Leonardo gave Linda a cold glare. "Well, maybe if you stopped _babying_ that kid, he would learn how to ignore Gavin's taunting instead of beating the shit out of him!"

"'_Babying'_ him?" Linda took a few steps away from the glass door and crossed her arms over her white tank top. "I cannot _believe_ we are having this conversation again! Just because I show my children some affection, it automatically means that they are weak." She then lowered her hands to her hips. "Why can't you just be a father and not drill sergeant for once?"

Leonardo's eyes grew, the fury raging on inside. " How can you say such a thing? I've done the best that I could trying to teach those kids, and it's not _my _fault that Shawn goes against my authority! He's a hothead just like Raph was, and I'm fighting a losing battle with him!"

Linda shook her head and calmed herself down. " That's the problem, Leonardo. You need to _stop_ fighting with him and _listen_ to what your son is trying to say to you. He needs you. He wants you to be involved in his life. He wants you to _understand_ him." Linda moved back to her husband and placed her palms on his shoulder, taking in the tension that laid beneath his clothing. " Shawn is such a great kid once you get to know him. You knew that from the time he was born that he wasn't like Gavin. He's a very emotional person, and just like Raphael, he just someone to understand him."

Leonardo relaxed under Linda's touch and he instantly grabbed her into his muscular arms. " I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just... that kid! I don't know what to do with him sometimes!"

"Just promise me you will at least _try_ to be patient with him, okay?" Linda patted Leonardo's cheek, then kissed him softly on the lips. "You two are more alike than you think you are."

* * *

Shawn pushed his loose brown hair behind his ears as he bounced down the wide staircase, singing the words of his favorite rock song as he glided across the wooden floor of the house's foyer. He paid no attention to the fact that his father was seated at the long, oak dining room table as he moved into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, his voice echoing along the wooden cabinets above his head. Leonardo looked up from his pile of paperwork and arched an eyebrow.

"Shawn, what are you doing? We just had dinner an hour ago."

His son stopped singing as he pulled out a pitcher of Kool-Aid and threw Leonardo a dirty look as he purposely slammed it onto the counter and reached up for a glass. Leonardo sighed heavily, remembering the words Linda had said earlier about having patience with his middle child, and returned to his work without saying a word. A few seconds later he heard the chair across the table slide out and the sound of Shawn's thin frame slump down. Leonardo then felt suddenly aware of a pair of eyes on him, and he looked up, meeting Shawn's green stare as his son gulped down the orange liquid in his glass.

"Yes?" Leonardo said in a slow, drawn-out tone.

Shawn still said nothing as he tipped his glass up, finishing his drink. He then set it back down gently, which was then followed by an enormous belch.

Leonardo wrinkled his forehead and gave his son a disapproving frown. " Nice, real nice."

"Can I ride with Adam tomorrow?" Shawn suddenly spoke, almost catching Leonardo off guard. " Aunt Angie already said I could and -,"

"Absolutely not." Leonardo answered quickly as his eyes skimmed over an expense report page. "You know that we all ride together as a family, just like always."

Shawn rolled his eyes and let an exasperated sigh. " Come on, Dad! Can't you just let it go this _one_ time?"

"Shawn, I'm not in the mood to argue with you over this." Leonardo turned the page of the report and kept talking without lifting his gaze. " I said no and I mean it."

"Why do you have to be so uptight about everything?" Shawn pushed on, bothered by the fact that his father wasn't even bothering to make eye contact.

Just then Constance entered the dining room and squeezed in between the back wall and the table, and inched her way over to where Leonardo sat.

"Dad, is it okay if Jenny rides with us? She's kinda upset and I think it would be good for her to be with me."

Leonardo lifted his eyes and smiled at the silent plea that shone in his daughter's pale green eyes. "Sure Connie, that's fine."

"What the hell!" Shawn shot up out of his seat and violently threw the chair back under the table. "That's a bunch of fuckin' bullshit!"

"Shawn!" Leonardo stood up and pointed his index finger at his son. " I warned you about speaking like that!"

Shawn then started laughing at his father. " Yeah, well ya know what? Fuck _you_ Dad!" Shawn then moved away from the table, his laughter increasing as he walked back to the stairs.

"Fuck _everyone_ in this fuckin' house! I _hate _this fuckin' place!"

"Shawn Michael! Go upstairs this instant!" Linda stepped out of the living room, still holding onto the laundry she was folding.

"Whatever." Shawn mumbled, then ran up the steps, deliberately shoving his older brother, who was coming down as he went up. Gavin held himself against the wall, not moving until he heard the sound of Shawn's bedroom door slam shut above him.

"Asshole." Gavin whispered to himself as he walked into the dining room and joined his father and sister at the table. "Another fun filled night in the Okasana household, I see."

"The amusement never ends." Leonardo replied sarcastically as he sat back down, leaning on his elbows and rubbing at his pounding temples. He again felt a stare, and he glanced up to find his wife giving him a look of disapproval.

"Why did you do that, Leonardo?" Linda held her arms across her chest, the bath towel dangling from her right hand.

"I didn't do anything!" Leonardo protested, trying to get back to the pile of company paperwork. "Shawn knows that we _always_ ride together."

Linda growled deep in her throat at him, then turned to her daughter. "Constance, honey, I know Jennifer's parents are going through a lot right now, but do you think it's fair that she can ride with us when Shawn can't go with your uncle Donatello?"

Constance wrinkled her nose slightly. " No, that's not fair at all! Is that what you did, Dad?"

Linda then leaned her head to one side and arched both of her eyebrows. " See? Even your fourteen-year-old daughter knows that was not right."

Leonardo slowly lifted his eyes up and pushed his chair back, picking up the stack of papers before moving away from the table.

"I have a lot to do and I can't concentrate with all of you around me! I'll be in the computer room."

Linda growled again as Leonardo disappeared in the study, slamming the door behind him. She grabbed the yellow bath towel with both hands, holding back the urge of ripping it to shreds, and this thought was apparently noticeable to her children.

"Uh, Mom?" Gavin took a step back from the table as Constance did the same.

Linda closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relaxing her hold on the helpless towel. " I'm sorry." She then handed the mangled towel to Gavin. " Go finish folding the laundry for me, please. I need to go upstairs and talk to your brother."

When Linda reached the top of the winding staircase, the sound of a heavy bass beat echoed through the green and white hallway, growing louder as she approached Shawn's room. She moved down to the second door on the right side of the hallway, and poised her closed fist against the white door, her distant memories reminding her that the same sound had come out of that very room when Raphael occupied it years ago.

"Shawn? Can I come in?" Linda shouted as she pounded on the door.

The door remind shut, even after Linda knocked a second and a third time. It was only until she had given up that the aggressive rock music lowered in volume and Shawn slowly cracked open the door.

"What?" He mumbled, and Linda could tell from the red stains on Shawn's cheeks that her son had been crying.

"Mind if I come in?" Linda offered him a smile, and received one in return as Shawn pulled the door farther back and let her in.


End file.
